Lagos — According to the EIA, renewable energy will surpass coal in the U.S. electricity mix this year for the first time in history.
Coal has been on the decline for nearly two decades and was replaced by natural gas as the primary source of electricity in 2016, but a 16-year low in electricity demand brought on by COVID-19 will likely shutter the U.S. coal industry for good.
While natural gas and renewables are key to decarbonization, the pandemic has brought the well-known fact to the public light: Coal is no longer economically competitive in the U.S. It is becoming clear that COVID-19 will lead to a shake-up of the energy landscape and catalyze the energy transition, with investors eyeing new energy sector plays as we emerge from the pandemic.”